Losing an Angel
by SpiritedRinoa
Summary: Prequel to FFVIII. Just what did happen that summer? And just what did Rinoa see in him? Seifer-Rinoa (Chapter 5 added!)
1. Prologue, or Introduction to an Angel

Chapter 1: Prologue, or Introduction to an Angel** **

It just wasn't his style. Falling all over himself to please a woman. Not Seifer Almasy. But she had been so…different. 

He had been on a pleasure trip to Timber with his posse, Fujin and Raijin. Well…okay, it was more than just a 'pleasure' trip…word had it that Timber was working towards its independence…which meant a battle was coming. Revolutions always led to fighting, and fighting was what he knew best. He smirked. _Leading the people of Timber to independence…_ He could definitely make a name for himself. That could keep him temporarily satisfied until he was able to fulfill his dream.

Timber wasn't too far off from a beach, so the three of them headed out to go fishing before finding the hotel. It was at the beach he had first seen her…kicking at the sand, her hands clasped behind her back as the tail of her blue duster flapped in the ocean breeze.

He had never expected the sight of a woman to take his breath away so completely or so literally. She was beautiful; but it was something more than that.

"SEIFER!" A hand violently waved in front of his face as he had snapped out of his daze and turned to Fujin. She pointed towards their third friend, who was tangled up in fishing line. "PROBLEM. RAIJ."

Seifer shook his head. "I dunno how you manage to survive day to day sometimes man…" he said as he helped unravel Raijin. His eyes fell back on the spot the girl had been standing. She was gone. _Damn… _

And he wondered if he had only imagined her. 

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Author's notes and disclaimer: Yada yada…typical disclaimer, the characters are the result of Squaresoft's genius, not mine. I don't own 'the posse', I don't own Miss Heartilly (though I wish that I WAS Rinoa), etc. etc. I'm not doing this to earn money (though working for Squaresoft would totally rock)

Chapter 1 is short...I know, following chapters will normally be longer, I promise!

New Author's Notes: Finally after nearly a year, I've gotten back to writing this fic. Please leave reviews, they inspire me to work faster!


	2. Angel of the Night

**Chapter 2: Angel of the Night**

That night at the hotel, Seifer had tossed and turned. "And I thought that the beds at Garden sucked…I may as well go sleep on a rock…"

Sounds from the street invaded the room through a window that was left slightly open to let the cool summer breeze in. A young woman could be heard arguing with a man. Seifer stood and walked to the window. These people were too damn loud. How was he ever going to sleep with all that noise? As he reached the window the voices got clearer. Peering out he saw that one of the people standing below was the girl from the beach. The other was an older man, in his forties or fifties.

"…not going back to Deling City with you!"

"You're wasting your time here. It's ridiculous! You're living here like a pauper, fighting for the independence of a small town that would surely fall extinct if left on its own."

"Go away. I'm not going back there. These people need their freedom. And I'm staying here. I like Timber."

The man sighed and shook his head. "One of these days, I'm going to be given the order to come in here with my men and break up this operation you have going here with Zone and Watts. It's not going to work." He turned and walked away, leaving the girl standing alone under the streetlight.

"Seifer, pull the shade…can't sleep with that light streaming in, ya know?" Raijin mumbled from the other side of the room.

Seifer drew the shade after one more glance out the window. He just had to know this girl's name. And what Seifer Almasy wants, Seifer Almasy gets. "Be back in a few…" he muttered as he left the room. Stepping outside, he glanced around. His mouth turned up on one side in a cocky grin. _She's still here…_

The slender form leaned against the light post. Her knees were unbent, her hands resting behind her back against the pole. She looked up as she heard him approach and her eyes grew wide. "I don't have anything worth taking…"

"Wha-…" Seifer's jaw dropped. Then realization struck. "Oh…heheheh…" he chuckled. "Naw…I'm not a mugger or anything…I just…uhhh…." How could he be at such a loss for words? He pointed up towards the hotel room window. "You see, I'm not from around here…just visiting with my posse, and I could hear some arguing down here…"

"Oh…" she replied, kicking at a rock. "I'm sorry if the arguing kept you awake…we're done…quite. If you just came down to ask us to take it elsewhere, you wasted yourself a trip."

Seifer laughed uncomfortably. "Heh. If I had just wanted that, I would have screamed it from up there." His eyes met with hers for a brief moment. "You alright?"

"Yeah…nothing that I'm not used to handling…"

"So you come out onto the streets at night and converse with older men a lot?" He arched his eyebrows and looked at her questioningly.

A look of shock crossed her face as she realized what he was implying. "No, no, no!" She waved her hands in front of her emphatically. "Just with him…"

He looked down at her hands, which now rested on her elbows as she hugged herself. "He looked a bit old to be a boyfriend of yours." He grinned in his usually arrogant manner.

"That would be because he's my father…"

"Oh…" He felt slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, you must think that I'm prying…it's just that it's awfully late at night for such a beautiful young woman to be out in this part of town all alone…" _That's it, Seifer. Lay on the charm…_

She blushed. "It's alright, I guess. Besides, I know my way around here. I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"Didn't mean to suggest that you couldn't. But still, stuff happens, ya know?" _Gah! Dammit, Raijin is starting to rub off on me… _

"Not in Timber," she laughed. "I'm safer here at night than I'd be in some places during the day. You obviously haven't been here long…" She tilted her head to one side and smiled. "Where are you from?"

"My posse and I attend Balamb Garden."

"You're SeeD?!?" she asked, excitement entering her voice.

"Uhhh…not exactly…not yet. I will be. I'm taking the test shortly after I get back from Timber."

"Oh…" She looked down for a moment, seeming disappointed. Just as quickly as her face had darkened, it brightened again with a large smile. 

"What?" Seifer asked, beginning to grow self-conscious. 

She shook her head. "Nothing, I was just wondering why you haven't gone back up to your room to retire for the night? The argument you overheard couldn't have disturbed you that much…you don't look like the kind of guy who gets frazzled easily."

"I know that you said that you're alright out here on your own, but…"

"You don't believe me."

"No. It's just…well, I'd prefer to escort you home and be assured of your safety." _Man, Seifer, you're really laying it on thick…_He laughed to himself. _Wouldn't Fujin and Raijin flip if they ever saw me acting like this…_

"I can't let you escort me," she eyed him suspiciously. "Why should I trust you any more than any of the other strangers out on the street at this time of night?"

"I may seem a little rough on the outside, but Seifer Almasy keeps his word. If I say that I'll escort you to your door and that you'll be safe with me, then I'll escort you to your door and you'll be safe," he said with a slight bow. The corners of her mouth turned up into an amused little smile. "Seifer, eh? Alright, I suppose that I could use some company for a bit…" She turned her head slightly and the moonlight reflected in her ebony hair. _Wow, she's beautiful…_

"So are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to guess?" Seifer ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're going to have to guess," she laughed as they began to walk.

"Can't you just tell me?"

With a small smile, she nodded. "I suppose. Rinoa."

"Just Rinoa, or do you have a last name to go with your first?"

"Nope. Just Rinoa."

Seifer smirked. "C'mon…I told you mine, it's your turn now."

She laughed in response. "Alright. Heartilly…my last name is Heartilly."

"Rinoa Heartilly…" The name rolled off his tongue like a song. He had heard that name before. "General Caraway's daughter? Wait a second…_that was General Caraway?"_

Rinoa nodded. "That was my father…"

"But what is he doing here? And what are _you_ doing here? I thought Deling was sided with Galbadia in retaining Timber?"

Rinoa laughed softly at Seifer's confusion. Her laugh was musical, although slightly bitter. "Deling _is_ opposed to Timber's liberation. My father came to Timber in hopes that I would return with him…why am I bothering to tell you this stuff?"

"Because I asked, and because I'm listening." Seifer smiled genuinely. "So you're not on the best of terms with your father then?"

"That's putting it mildly." They both stopped walking for a moment as Rinoa turned to look down from the bridge they stood on. It crossed a set of train tracks, which were in use even at this late hour. Off in the distance, a baby's cry could be heard, piercing through the darkness. "I love it here in Timber…even though it may not be quite the city Deling is. It's a small, relatively quiet town. Everyone around here is so nice…much nicer than the high society people back there."

"I've overheard that Timber is planning to revolt against Galbadia to gain their independence. Is that why your father came? To get you out of here before the bullets start to fly?"

"So to speak…" She paused, looking up at Seifer. Her expression was hard to read, but for some reason, it filled him with an admiration for her. "He was trying to get my out of here before I start the bullets flying…" She laughed at his puzzled expression. "You've heard of the Forest Owls?" 

"Yeah, bunch of revolutionaries who think that they can overthrow Galbadia's rule all on their own…"

Rinoa looked almost bitten by his response. "I've been helping them for almost a year now…"

_Way to stick your foot in your mouth, Jackass…_Seifer cursed himself. "Heh…"

A tiny laugh echoed down the empty streets. "We're more capable than people give us credit for…"

"Oh yeah? Then how come Timber isn't liberated yet?"

She shook her head and glanced at him as though the answer should be obvious. "Because the Owls haven't made their move yet…and we're here." She stopped walking.

"Huh? But this is…" Seifer scratched his head. She was sure full of surprises.

"Yes, it's a train. What did you expect, a condominium?"

"Well, you are Caraway's daughter…surely…"

"Not while I'm here. Anyway, thank you for walking me home, Seifer. And I'm sorry if I've been a bit abrasive tonight, but it's been a very long day…" 

"Well, you could always give yourself another opportunity to make a better impression…could you spare some time to join me out on the beach tomorrow?" _Boy, Seifer, has she really captivated you or what?_

Rinoa stood there, her hands clasped behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. She tilted her head to one side and laughed melodically. "Are you…asking me on a date?"

Seifer felt slightly embarrassed. "Heh. Call it whatever you like, I was just asking if you might want to come to the beach tomorrow. Fu, Raij, and I will probably be down there fishing. So if you wanted to come or whatever…I'll be there."

With a nod, Rinoa slid the door open. "Maybe…" she said with a certain non-committal air. The corners of her mouth turned upward in a beautiful smile as she looked over her shoulder before the door slid closed behind her. 

"Holy shit!" Seifer exclaimed as he glanced at his watch. "I better be getting back to the hotel…"

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Author's Note: Yay! Chapter 2 up! Please Review!


	3. Angel of the Morning

**Chapter 3: Angel of the Morning**

"Seifer, I thought we were going to get an early start this morning and head out fishing, ya know?" Raijin stood over Seifer, complaining loudly.

"guh heh…ill cutch oop…" The reply was muffled by the pillow Seifer had pulled over his head. "gutten lyte lust nut…lemmeh fleep…"

"REPEAT." Fujin's suddenly loud voice made Seifer jump. A moment later, a pillow went flying across the room.

"Nevermind, dammit, I'm awake…" Seifer yawned tiredly as he sat up and stretched. "Fu, why ya gotta be so loud?"

"SORRY."

"Where'd ya go last night, Seifer?" Raijin asked as he flopped down into a seat.

"For a walk," Seifer replied in a tone that made it clear that he wouldn't elaborate any further.

"WITH CARAWAY'S DAUGHTER." Fujin was more than happy to elaborate for him.

Seifer stared at her dumbly for a moment. "…the fuck?!"

Fujin shrugged. "RECOGNIZED HER." She tossed an empty bucket to Raijin, who missed it and caught it full force against his shoulder. "GOING NOW?"

They both turned to Seifer expectantly. 

"Alright, alright. Just let me shower and change and we'll go," he chuckled.

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The surf crashed against the rocks as Seifer looked down over the small cliff. _Fu was right, today is gonna be a good day for fishing._ He watched his two friends descend the rocks as he sat down. _I'll fish in a bit. Right now…_ he yawned. _I'm gonna catch up on the sleep I missed last night…_ He reclined on the rock, supporting his head with his arms. His eyelids drifted shut as he dozed off.

When he awoke, he felt as though he were being watched. He opened his eyes. _Nothing…no one in sight…_He slowly glanced around, his eyes eventually falling on a blue duster and a pair of large eyes looking at him.

"You're awake." Rinoa stood up and stretched.

"How long have you been there?" Seifer asked, sitting up and looking at towards the sky to try to figure out how long he had been sleeping.

"Not long at all. But if I had been a monster, you probably would have been long gone by now." She smiled and laughed her melodious laugh as Seifer sat up.

_You're far from being a monster. That's one thing no one could mistake you for…_ The corners of his mouth turned up slightly and he chuckled to himself in amusement.

"What? Tell me, what are you thinking of that's so funny?" Rinoa tilted her head slightly to the side as the sunshine beamed down on her, illuminating her face.

"Nothing at all, just thinking of you as a monster, coming to do away with me…" _Seifer, would you listen to yourself?!? You sound like a damn moron!!!_

"What, you don't think that I could take you?"

"Heh. Not a chance." Seifer laughed. "I have this to protect me," he said, withdrawing his gunblade in a showy fashion.

"Better hold on to that, because you're going to need it." Rinoa said, her expression becoming serious.

"Why's that?" 

"Because, it's the only thing that you have to protect yourself from monsters like me." The reply was followed by her bright smile.

"And just what do you think that you could do?" Seifer smirked, amused by her witty remarks.

Rinoa shrugged. "I don't know, but you better not provoke me or you'll find out," she said with a wink. Suddenly, as though she were just remembering something, she glanced around quickly.

"What's wrong? Afraid that someone's watching us?"

"No…but I thought you said that you were supposed to be fishing today? You didn't look like you were fishing at all. And I don't see those friends of yours."

As if on cue, Raijin could be heard bellowing from the other side of the hill. "Hey Seifer! Come on, there's lots of fish for the takin' here, ya know!"

"LOTS!" Fujin's voice followed soon after.

Seifer chuckled and motioned towards the hill with his hand. "And that…would be the friends that I came fishing with…what? Did you think that I was lying about coming here to go fishing?"

"No, not really. Although, I must say, that if you had been, it would be the lamest pick-up line that I've EVER heard," she teased.

Seifer scratched his head. _Well, she certainly is up front…_ "Who said anything about picking up? I was just giving you a second chance, seeing how you gave a bad first impression…" His lip curled up into his infamous smirk.

"Mmmmhmmm…okay," Rinoa stood and began to work her way down the small cliff, towards the incoming waves. As she disappeared over the side, Raijin appeared on the crest of the hill behind him.

"Seifer, what's keepin' ya? Me and Fu are up to our necks in fish, Balamb fish should be as easy to catch, ya know."

"Raij, I'll catch up to you and Fu in a bit. I'm just giving you both a head start so I don't show you up too much when I bring home my barrels of fish," he said slyly.

"A'right, Seif, we'll be waiting for ya. But, ya know, there's no way you're gonna catch a barrel full of fish this late in the day," Raijin replied, chuckling as he turned and headed back over the hill. 

Seifer turned back to the cliff and climbed down it, catching sight of Rinoa as his feet touched the ground. She laughed musically as she threw her arms around the neck of a young man wearing a vest and ski cap. "I can't wait! Tell the others that I'll be there shortly. There's a lot to discuss, after everything that you've just told me."

"Don't feel the need to rush back, princ- err…Rinoa. I was fortunate to hear about this well in advance. We have plenty of time to make plans."

"True. But we should start planning as soon as possible. Tell them that I'll be along soon."

Watts nodded slightly. "Alright Rinoa, if you say so." With that, he turned and walked away. Rinoa spun around and came face to face with Seifer. "Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise. "There you are! I just got the most wonderful news! But I can't stay and explain; I need to get going!"

"But I thought that I heard that guy say that there was no hurry…" Seifer scratched his head. _He didn't seem too concerned that she hurry back, how can I convince her to stay just a bit longer?_

Rinoa sighed. "Watts is never in any hurry. But this is important…it's about Timber."

"Oh? Top secret Forest Owls stuff, I presume?" he said mockingly.

"…and you still don't take the Forest Owls seriously, do you?" she frowned disapprovingly. "We _will_ liberate Timber…" her reply had the harsh sounds of irritation in it. Seifer silently watched her turn and leave.

_Man, Seifer…you had to go and say something to piss her off, didn't you?_

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**Author's Note**: And that concludes Chapter 3! Will Rinoa forgive Seifer for taking the Forest Owls so lightly? Will Seifer ever learn to stop and think before he speaks? And what have the Timber Owls learned? Stay Tuned...

As always, remember: Reviews make me happy! :) 


	4. A Secret Heaven

Chapter 4: A Secret Heaven 

He stood outside the train that served as the headquarters of the Forest Owls. Night had fallen and he had headed back to the hotel with Fujin and Raijin, showing them up as usual with his large pail of fish. They had gutted them and cooked them up in the room's kitchenette. After dinner, Fujin and Raijin sat down to a game of triple triad and Seifer slipped out the door. _Why can't I stop thinking about her? She was something pissed about my comment about the Owls…_

He wasn't quite sure how to go about visiting someone who lived in a train. Should he knock on the outside door? Should he go inside and knock on those doors until he found her room? As he stood around contemplating this, the passenger car door opened and Rinoa hurried out the door. In her rush, she wasn't watching where she was going and she ran right into Seifer.

"Why don't you watch where you're…" as her gaze rose to his face, she stopped mid-sentence. "Oh. It's _you_…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Seifer asked, unamused. He sighed. "Look…I'm sorry about earlier. Maybe I'm wrong about the Forest Owls, but I can't help but be skeptical, since I've seen no results from them so far."

"If you think it's so easy, why don't _you_ do it then?" she snapped.

"I didn't come here to argue with you…"

"Then tell me, Seifer, just why _are_ you here?"

He was speechless for a split second. _She remembered my name…Seifer…man, stop it! You're going all mushy…_

Rinoa's laughter broke his chain of thoughts. "What's that look on your face for? You look ridiculous!" In a quick attempt to change the subject, Seifer held out a foil wrapped package. "What is this?" Rinoa asked tentatively.

"It's fish." The expression on her face threw him into a fit of laughter. Once the laughter subsided, he explained. "Well, I told you I was going fishing today. You didn't believe me…here's proof. I hope you like fish…it should still be warm."

Rinoa raised her eyebrows with amusement. "I'm a vegetarian…"

_Seifer, you idiot!_ His face fell. "Sorry…" His apology brought on more laughter from Rinoa. "I was kidding! I love fish…how can you not love fish when you live so close to the ocean?" _Phew…_

She took the package and brought it inside, placing it in a cooler for later. Seifer couldn't keep his eyes off her. "So where were you in such a rush to get to? Or is that classified information too?"

"Actually…I was just trying to get out of here for a bit. Do you want to come with me?" Without waiting for an answer, she took hold of his hand and rushed out the door.

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"So how did you end up coming to Timber?"

"Growing up, my father and I drifted far apart. Our ideas are very different, and it just got to the point where I couldn't stand being under the same roof as him. Deling began to feel too stifling…everybody knew who I was and where I came from. I took off and wound up here…where it didn't really matter who my father was for the most part. And where I felt like I fit in. The Forest Owls are more than just a bunch of revolutionaries…we're family…"

"You grew apart from your father, but what about your mother? She must miss you from time to time…"

"My mother died when I was five years old, in a car accident…" Her voice trailed off as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"I'm sorry…" Seifer looked up at the starry night and listened to the waves crash against the rocks in the cove. "If it's any consolation, and I'm sure that it probably isn't…but I kinda know how you feel."

"How so?" she looked up at him with interest.

"I don't really remember my parents. I remember growing up in an Orphanage…with lots of other kids…although I don't remember that too well either. I was so young when I started out at Balamb Garden, everything before it is sort of foggy…"

"You don't remember your parents at all?" Rinoa looked at him sympathetically.

Seifer shrugged. "No. But I guess it doesn't matter much because I don't know what I'm missing." He leaned back, watching the beginning of the sunset. Rinoa had dragged him to a small cove with a perfect view. In the distance, they could hear the seagulls and the splashing of dolphins playing in the waves. Turning his gaze back to Rinoa, he sighed. "It must be hard for you, losing someone and knowing enough about them to care that you lost them."

Rinoa was silent for a moment. "I suppose…" she paused, toying with a ring that hung from her necklace. "But when I get really lonely, I remind myself that she's watching over me…why am I telling you all this?" She blushed and turned away, embarrassed by her honesty.

"Because I'm listening…" Seifer glanced up at the sky. "Don't look away, you're going to miss it." He turned back around to make sure she was watching, but she wasn't there. "Huh? Rinoa?"

"Shhhhh…" her musical voice came from above his head. "Just watch it." He glanced up to find her lying on her stomach, watching the sunset from a large boulder. "I love to come here in the evenings and watch this," she whispered, as though a loud voice might interrupt the perfection of the moment. Together, they watched the sun set in total silence.

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Once the darkness had set in, Rinoa climbed down from her high perch and leaned against a wall of the cove. "I hope I haven't wasted an evening of your vacation," she said mockingly. 

"Yeah, you probably did, but I'll deal," Seifer replied with a smirk. _What a perfect vacation…couldn't think of a way I'd rather have spent the evening…_

"Oh well…if it's so terribly boring, you should head back to the hotel. I'm sure that your friends can entertain you much better than _I_ can…" Rinoa said teasingly. She stepped away from the wall and sat down at the edge of the water, pulling her shoes off and dipping her toes into the sea. She reached up and tied her hair into a neat knot and removed her blue frock.

"What are you doing?" Seifer asked with his characteristic smirk.

"What's it look like I'm doing? I'm going for a swim. You coming?"

"I don't think…"

"Oh, come on! Why not?" Rinoa stood up, placing her hands on her hips, laughing. "Can't swim? Afraid to get a little wet?"

"I can swim just fine, thanks. Not afraid, just prefer to stay dry."

Rinoa shrugged. "Well in that case…" She turned and jumped into the rippling water. Upon resurfacing, she swam to the edge of the rocks, leaning forward on one of them. Seifer came up to her and sat down. "You sure you don't want to get in? The water's nice," she said as she splashed him a little.

"Hey! Stop that!" he exclaimed, though he couldn't help but laugh as he said it. The harder he laughed, the more that she splashed, and the more that she splashed, the harder he laughed.

"Well, you're already soaked. You may as well come for a swim now," she stated as she quickly reached up and caught him by the wrist, pulling him in. There was a huge splash as Seifer fell in. The fish in the area scattered, startled by the sudden movement.

"What was that for?!" Seifer demanded once his face reappeared.

Rinoa smiled innocently. "Because…it's a beautiful day for a swim, so you should take the opportunity."

_Great Hyne, she's beautiful. _He felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at her. The moonlight streaming into the cove shone behind her, illuminating her features and shining in her silky black hair.

"Seifer?" Rinoa looked at him, perplexed. "What's going through that head of yours?"

The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Nothing much. Just that you're probably the most beautiful girl that I've ever met. Inside and out." Their eyes locked in a gaze, Seifer admiring her beauty and innocence, and Rinoa gazing at him with questioning and wondering eyes.

"Seifer…" Rinoa began. Seifer placed a finger to her lips. "Shhh…" he whispered as his finger was quickly replaced by his lips. _So soft…so beautiful…_His arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer to him. After a too short moment, they parted. Rinoa's cheeks were scarlet as she looked at Seifer, her expression one of surprise.

"Sorry…" Seifer mumbled awkwardly. "I don't know what came over me…" He hoisted himself back onto the rocks, out of the water. "I should probably be getting going. I only meant to stop by to bring the fish." He wrung out his jacket as well as he could. Rinoa climbed out onto the rocks and stood up, fidgeting awkwardly.

"Well, thanks for the fish…and, ummm…I had a nice time tonight. I think this is the first time in a while that I've been able to get away and forget about things for a bit…"

Seifer smirked. "Don't mention it…I…" _Man, this is getting kinda weird…what do I say?_ Rinoa smiled and wagged a finger at him.

"Your friends'll be getting worried about you if you don't get back to your hotel. You should go. I'll be around." Her laughter echoed through the cave, a sound he was sure would haunt him all night.

"Nah, not Raij and Fu. I'm not one to be worried over." He chuckled. "I've always been able to take care of myself, they know that." He gave an exaggerated bow. "But for now, m'lady, I will leave." He stood straight and turned to leave, speaking over his shoulder. "And if you're going to be around, I'll make sure to keep my eyes open." 

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**Author's Note**: And there's the end of Chapter 4! What comes next? Does Seifer manage to sweep Rinoa off her feet? Will he turn into a complete sap in the process (yeah, riiiiiiiight...) Stay tuned! 

As always, please Review! Thanks to all who have taken the time to review so far! :) 


	5. Feather in the Wind

Chapter 5: Feather in the Wind 

Over the course of the next few days, Seifer did as he said he would and kept his eyes open, searching for the ivory skin and ebony hair that was imprinted forever in his mind. She wasn't 'around,' as she said she would be and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He looked in the mirror in the hotel's bathroom and smirked. _Guess she was sent as a payback for all those no-names…_ He couldn't help but crack a strange smile as he thought about all the hearts he had broken, all those girls he could have had, all the false promises he had made. But the hearts never mattered, the girls always grew boring, and, well, he had never been one for keeping promises. _But they've never had a hold on me like this…_ He could barely believe his thoughts. How could _he_, Seifer Almasy, have fallen prey to some girl? He had walked her home once and brought her a fish, they had been strangers a week ago, and yet, he found himself wishing for the chance to see her again. They had parted on slightly awkward terms the other night, so he had been hesitant to show up at the old train that she called 'home.' 

"Seifer, Fu is getting impatient, ya know," Raijin's voice came from the bedroom door. "She wants to get to the pub and try her hand at triple triad for some rare cards, ya know."

"Typical of her. Get them drunk and THEN take their cards," Seifer replied snidely.

"HEARD THAT!" Fujin's voice boomed indignantly from the kitchenette.

"Pity!" Seifer called back mockingly as he headed for the kitchenette. "Your tactics aren't exactly a secret," he said with a grin, showing that his words were merely in jest. "Besides, it benefits me too, because once you've one the cards, I usually wind up winning them." Fujin made a face at him, though she said nothing to deny it because it was true; and Seifer had the cards to prove it.

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They had been at the pub for several hours, and Fujin was doing exactly as Seifer had predicted. She had a few drinks with her potential opponents and _then_ challenged them to a game of triple triad. Raijin was at the bar with Seifer having a few drinks of their own while Fujin collected yet another set of rare cards and sent yet another man home weeping. At the beginning of the night, both of them had been playing as well, but Seifer had grown bored and Raijin was left with only three cards. Beside him, his friend was rambling on about this and that, but Seifer wasn't even pretending to listen. He was lost in his thoughts of Rinoa. The way she had looked in the moonlight, the softness and the warmth of her skin haunted him.

"Uh, Seif?" Raijin was looking at him strangely. Seifer wanted to kick himself. _I'm acting like some lame ol' pansy or something._ _Man, who woulda thought that I'd be so desperate to see some girl?!_ He stood up, Raijin still watching him. "Are you leaving already? Fu's not finished cleaning up here, ya know."

"I'm bored, I'm heading out." Seifer threw some of his worst triple triad cards down on the bar. "Try not to lose too many of 'em," he said, knowing that he'd never see those cards again. He didn't really care anyway, what were a few cockatrices and bite bugs? "I'll meet you back at the hotel later on." Then he turned and left.

He just wanted to walk and clear his head, but he soon found himself standing in front of a train car. He smirked at the absurdity of it, a girl holding so much power over _him_! 

_ Since I'm here, I might as well see if she's around,_ he reasoned. After a moment's hesitation, he knocked. When nobody answered, he turned away from the door, feeling partially relieved, and partially disappointed. _Wasted trip after all…_

"Hello?" a masculine voice called out. Seifer hadn't expected that at all. He pondered for a moment whether or not to respond, since the utter darkness hid him from sight. The sole light in the area was that which spilled out of the train car. "Who's there?"

Seifer cleared his throat loudly and stepped back towards the door, into what little light was available. He finally recognized the man as the same one that had showed up on the beach to bring Rinoa news concerning the Forest Owls. "I'm looking for Rinoa, is she around?"

"Nope, sorry," Watts said lazily, motioning to shut the door, but Seifer stopped him.

"Will she be back soon?"

"Can't tell. Don't really know. She's gone off to Deling."

"I thought that she refused to go home?" Seifer's face was distorted with a confused look.

"She's gone to Deling, that's all I can tell ya." With this, Watts closed the door with no protests from Seifer.

_Gone to Deling…_ He sighed, finding himself wondering if he'd get the chance to see her again before he returned to Balamb as he turned to leave the train car. He found the darkness, the cool air and the silence rather soothing. He could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind, but there wasn't even the sound of a baby's cry, and the pub was too far off to hear the ruckus going on there. 

The only sound of life was the echo of his footsteps. As he turned a corner, he heard another set of footsteps, quicker and lighter than his own.

"Seifer!" The voice was unmistakable. He froze in place. "Seifer!" Suddenly, Rinoa's tiny frame collided with his as she rounded the corner. He quickly reached out to steady her as she wavered from the impact. "Sorry…about…that…" she managed to get out as she tried to catch her breath.

"Your friend said that you were in Deling."

In spite of the darkness, Seifer saw Rinoa roll her eyes. "I _was_ in Deling, but I got back this morning. I don't understand him sometimes, he's ingenious when it comes to the Forest Owls, but sometimes the everyday stuff seems to escape his notice." Seifer must have had a strange, questioning expression on his face, because Rinoa felt the need to explain further. "I went to Deling to talk to some Forest Owls that have been stationed there as spies" She sighed. "Apparently, Watts has been so preoccupied trying to piece together the information that we already had, that he seemed to not notice me coming and going all day."

"Well, I have to admit, I'm glad that Watts was wrong," Seifer said laughingly.

"Why? Does it amuse you to have girls chase after you in the middle of the night?"

"Actually…I think that it does," he said with a smirk.

"I thought that you were supposed to be on vacation with your friends?" she teased. "So why is it that every time you turn up, you're always alone?"

"They're out at the pub, hitting up drunks for rare triple triad cards. I have to admit, their strategy is fairly effective. I got bored, so I left." He sneered, assuming his typical cocky air. "I'll just win the cards from them later anyway." They had continued walking down the street and had ended up on the beach. Seifer plopped down onto the soft sand, placing his hands behind his head and laying back. 

Rinoa waded ankle deep into the water. "It's always so quiet out here. No one would guess that war was about to break out," she whispered.

"War?" Seifer pushed himself up onto his elbows and shot her a questioning look, which quickly faded into a cool expression of understanding. "Oh. You mean the Forest Owls are making their move finally?"

"An attack is planned at Dollet, and I'm sure that Timber won't be far behind." Rinoa stood still, gazing up towards the moon, her hands clasped behind her back, her hair and duster blowing in the wind. She turned and looked at Seifer over her shoulder. "The Forest Owls have received word of when the attack on Dollet is to take place. Tomorrow morning, I leave for Dollet to speak with resistance members there, so that they'll be able to prepare for the attacks in time…"

"You leave for Dollet tomorrow? Do you ever stay in Timber for long?"

Rinoa nodded and bowed her head, her back to Seifer as the waves lapped at her feet. "Of course I do, it's just that, with Galbadia making its move, we have to stay alert. Until just recently, things have been pretty quiet. Watts and Zone have a few things to prepare from here…there's just a lot to be done…"

"I'd like to go with you."

Rinoa looked up sharply, staring over her shoulder in surprise. "Seifer…"

"Don't get me wrong," he added hastily. "Timber gets boring fast. A trip to Dollet will be more exciting than sitting around here."_…and your presence alone is reason enough for me…_He shook his head, as though trying to shake the thoughts out of it. Rinoa's melodious laughter carried on the breeze.

"Okay then," she said with a quick nod and a delighted smile. "I suppose having a bodyguard wouldn't hurt any."

Seifer smirked. "Bodyguard, eh? Don't bodyguards usually work for _pay_?"

In response, Rinoa flipped her hair nonchalantly. "Not the noble ones," she said as she turned back towards the streets they had come from. "I'm heading out tomorrow at dawn. If you want to come, be there by then, I can't sit around waiting."

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**A/N: **And there you have it, Chapter 5! So now you know how the Posse gathers their Triple Triad collection. And now Dollet enters the scene. What information does Rinoa have for the resistance there? Will Seifer prove a valuable 'bodyguard'? Stay tuned! And, as always, leave a review!


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